Panic attacks: brief intense exercise reduced symptoms in a trial

A Brazilian randomized trial of 102 adults found a 12-week program of brief intermittent high-intensity exercise produced larger drops in panic severity and attack frequency than a relaxation therapy, and the results were published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear that can cause physical symptoms and affect many adults. Usual treatments for panic disorder include cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medications. Researchers in Brazil tested whether brief bouts of intense intermittent exercise could work as an interoceptive exposure strategy over a 12-week program. The trial compared that exercise program with a relaxation-based therapy in 102 adults and the findings were published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. Key findings: - The trial assigned 102 adults with panic disorder to either brief intermittent intense exercise or relaxation therapy for 12 weeks. - Both groups showed declines on the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale and in measures of anxiety and depression; the exercise group experienced larger reductions in panic severity and in the reported frequency and severity of panic attacks. - Sessions included short high-intensity bouts with recovery periods, were monitored with biometric devices, occurred three times per week, and none of the participants used medication during the trial. - Researchers described the approach as a low-cost interoceptive exposure strategy and said it could be used outside clinical settings or integrated into care models. Summary: The study reports that brief intermittent intense exercise produced greater symptom reductions than relaxation therapy in this trial. Researchers suggested the method could be adopted in nonclinical settings or incorporated into treatment models, though wider implementation and further research were not detailed.